Community Organizations
Restorative Practices Community Organizations and Partners
If you are a community partner and are not on this page, please contact Polo DeCano padecano@seattleschools.org.
While CCS Unlimited is not currently working with any SPS schools, there is an identified desire to work with parents in supporting youth in their academic success.
Desire is to work with the various entities, discipline board, PTSA, African American Male Achievement and any other groups in supporting parents and youth.
CCS Unlimited is a restorative organization whose mission is to:
- Develop restorative beacons in every community
- Normalize restorative circles as a way of being,
- Support the development of building circle-keeping capacity
Learn more about CCS Unlimited
Contact CCS Unlimited at ccsunlimited4@gmail.com
Collective Justice grew out of many conversations with survivors, community members, and incarcerated people who have been directly impacted by multiple forms of violence. They all came together to express the need for spaces and practices that focus on healing and not further harming and isolating each other. Community activists and organizers met with the Black Prisoners Caucus and Concerned Lifers Organization at Monroe Correctional Complex to discuss Restorative Justice programming. Many members expressed the desire for any opportunity to express remorse and make amends for the harms they caused and saw learning Restorative Justice practices as a way to continue their accountability and healing journeys.
Their purpose is to support communities most impacted by interpersonal and state violence to build movements for safety and justice rooted in racial justice and collective liberation.
Connect The Dots is a school liberation framework that facilitates creative learning experiences for educators that cultivate restorative learning environments. They bring their lived and Seattle Public Schools experience together to raise consciousness and foster capabilities to implement Liberatory practices through the Connect The Dots School Liberation Framework. Connect the Dots’ workshops are culturally relevant, experiential, reflective and responsive. When we are connected, students connect.
This year, Dalisha Phillips will be facilitating monthly workshops that ground school leaders, from school administrators to support staff, in understanding and implementing restorative practices in schools. Through the metaphor of a restorative tree, these workshops will cover key elements of restorative practices in schools, such as culture, mindset, processes, practices, and maintenance. The framework provides the context and tools for schools to disrupt punitive approaches to discipline while engaging young people in the co-creation of a safe and welcoming learning environment.
This school year (22-23) Restorative Practice based deep dive professional development and direct service are present at Franklin HS, Sanislo Elementary, and Olympic Hills Elementary. In previous years I have offered Restorative Practice based deep dive professional development and direct services at Washington MS, Lowell Elementary, and Madrona MS.
My complete menu of services that Levy schools have the potential to choose from are as follows:
Staff/Adult Offerings
- Monthly professional development workshops on liberatory restorative practices – 90 minute to 2 hours sessions.
- Weekly or bi-weekly restorative mindfulness and meditative practice sessions – 1 hour session.
- As needed liberatory restorative practice consultation with building leadership – 1 hour session.
- As needed liberatory restorative circle facilitation with specific educators or groups of building stakeholders navigating change, challenge, and/or conflict (e.g., PTSA, Paraeducators, Support Staff) – 1 to 2 hour sessions.
Student/Youth Offerings
- Weekly or bi-weekly student focused art therapy groups for up to 10 students during or after school – 1 hour or class period.
General offerings:
- Weekly or bi-weekly
- Individual student counseling sessions for 10-12 weeks per student – 1 hour or class period.
- As needed:
- Liberatory restorative circle facilitation with specific classrooms or groups of students navigating change, challenge, and/or conflict – 1 to 2 hour sessions.
Learn more about Connect the Dots
Contact Connect the Dots at dalisha.phillips@lovelightenergyarttherapy.com
DEEL supports schools throughout SPS in a variety of capacities related to implementing Levy plans. Often, these plans include Restorative practices.
There are 5 schools that receive funding support that is specifically related to the implementation of Restorative practices/justice.
Contact DEEL at education@seattle.gov
Huayruro is supporting Garfield High School, Ingraham High School, Rainier Beach High School, Arbor Heights Elementary School and Seattle World School in a number of capacities which include:
- Faculty/Staff Trainings
- Team-building
- Restorative Circles
- Healing Circles
- Restorative Coaching
- Restorative Leadership Development
- Peacemaking Circles training
- Conflict resolution
- System change
- Cultural shift
- Intercultural development
In addition to the tremendous work supporting schools directly, Huayruro provided the SPS Restorative Team with a foundational training in Salish Tlingit ways of Peacekeeping Circles.
Contact Huayruro at wearehuayruro@wearehuayruro.com
Mari Shibuya is a local artist who has partnered with Seattle Public Schools to interpret community voice and restorative practices through a unique, real-time creation, of a digital mural.
Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity (RARE) has been an active partner with the SPS Restorative Team in finding ways to support the establishment and growth of a Restorative presence throughout SPS and greater Seattle area. While RARE does not support any specific schools at this time, they have brought together many community stakeholders who are interested and motivated in supporting and advocating for Restorative practices in SPS.
The Restorative Practice Community Coalition (RPCC) is a community-based entity that is growing in its partnership role with SPS and its endeavor to make Restorative Practices a part of the foundation and culture across all SPS.
Resolutions Northwest is not currently supporting any schools in SPS, however, they were an early partner with the SPS Restorative Team during the 2021-2022 school year. They remain open to supporting school communities with coaching, workshops or other ways of contributing to a restorative presence in SPS.
Learn more about Resolutions Northwest
Contact Resolutions Northwest at info@resolutionsnorthwest.org
The Root of Us, founded and led by local educator and restorative circle keeper Fernell Miller, was one of the community partners who supported the inaugural community visioning event. Fernell has been an educator in the Kent school district for over 35 years. Currently, The Root of Us is not serving any schools directly, but they are open to doing so.
Learn more about The Root of Us
Contact The Root of Us at info@therootofus.com
Manuel Cadenas and Solutions by Cadenas serve several schools in SPS and throughout King County. His efforts have included training school teams on Community Building Tier-1 approaches with an aim to go beyond “one and done” Restorative efforts to exist within a lasting community of support.
These Tier-1 supports include affinity group work for scholars and their families and serving as an advisor to leadership teams. While Cadenas’ efforts are currently taking place at TOPS K-8 and Hazel Wolf K-8, Manuel has initiated partnerships with a number of schools.
Specific hopes for Cadenas’ efforts are to foster the presence of Tseaut, Tagish and Tlingit restorative ways implemented with fidelity in all classrooms.
Learn more about Solutions by Cadenas
Contact Solutions by Cadenas at coach@solutionsbycadenas.com
Sound Supports is working with Concord Elementary, Ingraham High School and Whitman Middle School in a number of Restorative capacities that include: Restorative training, coaching and technical support.
Learn more about Sound Supports
Contact Sound Supports at lori@soundsupportsk12.com
South End Stories is a trauma-informed and anti-racist arts education program serving students and educators throughout King County, Washington. They encourage critical thought to stimulate artistic expression and exploration of identity at the highest level of learning.
Through their work, they aim to guide students towards a collaborative style of learning, giving them tools to share their stories through multiple means of expression. Currently, they are supporting:
- Cleveland High School
- Franklin High School
- Leschi Elementary
- Rainier Beach High School
Their presence will expand to include Concord Elementary and Madison Middle School in the spring.
Learn more about South End Stories
Contact South End Stories at ses@intiman.org
WA-BLOC partners with school communities to build student and staff capacity to implement school-wide restorative justice (RJ) practices with fidelity to a Tiered Approach. WA-BLOC is currently in partnership with:
- Emerson Elementary (year 4)
- Pathfinder K-8 (year 2)
- Levy-funded elementary schools in partnership with the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL)
WA-BLOC is also supporting the development of an ongoing community of practice for schools across the district in partnership with SPS to help build a community of support for practitioners and unified vision for RJ in Seattle Schools.
Services offered by WA-BLOC include:
- Coaching and mentoring staff through professional development trainings and participation in school-based staff cohorts/committees, starting with Tier 1;
- Supporting schools to develop and implement Tier 1-3 RJ practices and systems;
- Providing (K-5th grade) Tier 1 community building curriculum for classroom circles and activities;
- Training students in restorative practices and circle keeping through an in-school cohort model called the ZONE, and;
- Repairing harm through restorative processes with students and staff
Contact WA-BLOC at info@wa-bloc.org